The Doernbecher shoes have been unveiled and this year is especially important as the Jordan VII designer, Damian Phillips, is affected by Hemophilia. This is near and dear to my heart as I have a family member with Hemophilia and I have been very involved supporting this community. My only concern now is spending too much money trying to buy all the pairs.

Here is more info on the release from Nike.com:

When Michael Doherty, Nike’s Creative Director, Global Brand Presentation, and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation board member, helped initiate the Doernbecher Freestyle program in 2003, he’d been hard pressed to imagine its impact on both local and global communities.

The program invites patients from OHSU Doernbecher to design footwear and apparel, allowing their creative impulse (and love of sport) to shine. Over the years, patient-designers have worked on some of Nike’s most iconic silhouettes, from the Nike Air Max 95 and Nike Free Run 2 to the Air Jordan III and Air Jordan IX. At times, their visions have transcended the original design — the Doernbecher Freestyle release becoming known, above all, by the respective patient-designer’s name.

Shoe: Air Jordan VII RetroApparel: Full zip hoody, hat

“My primary inspirations for the shoe were a guitar and Chicago’s basketball team. I had an amazing experience doing something I’ve never done before. It surprised me that I got such an amazing team and had so many options for a shoe. My favorite part of the shoe-making process was choosing the material. It positively impacted my life through meeting new people and getting me out in the world.”

The 2016 Doernbecher Freestyle Collection will be available beginning December 17.

This is a pretty interesting move for the Kobe line. First, I’m glad to see they are continuing the Kobe line. We knew this was their plan but nice to see it live. Nike is departing from the numbering sequence (should be Kobe 12) and moving to A.D. to indicate this Kobe shoe is post-retirement. I don’t have any heartburn over that other than it is difficult to remember where it falls in the line years down the road… not a big deal to me though.

In terms of the shoe, we are also back to mesh. I wonder if there is an elite version in the wings with flyknit? I like the cushion system… Zoom Air in the heel and Lunarlon in the front. The traction systems reminds me of the Kobe 10 which proved to be solid. Loving that the shoe is still keeping the low profile. The heel area is 100% better than the 11 and I’m digging the chromed out heel cup. The tongue also looks plush which helps us no-show sock hoopers. All in all, the shoe looks decent. Hard to tell on a grey colorway but it looks solid. Reminds me of the Kobe 9 EM when it first released and I love that shoe. At $160 we won’t be breaking the bank either. Nice job Nike Basketball.

Here are some other details from the press release on Nike News:

Kobe Bryant’s first post-retirement signature silhouette, the Nike Kobe A.D., continues a legacy of lightweight, low-profile on-court footwear. Combining a Zoom Air unit in the heel, Lunarlon foam in the midsole and a minimal rubber outsole (with micro-tread traction), the shoe provides responsive, flexible cushioning and maximum court feel. A breathable mesh upper with incorporated Dynamic Flywire, ensures lock down for quick changes of direction toward the basket or to cover an opponent.

The Nike Kobe A.D., with a suggested retail price of $160, releases November 21 at nike.com and select retailers.

Carolina Basketball shared a video of their new locker room this week which was impressive to say the least. Included in the video was a shot at the Jordan wall which included a Carolina Blue version of each signature Jordan model 1-31 as well as some of the other Carolina Jordan releases from the past.

In 1988, the Air Jordan 3 forever changed footwear with the arrival of the iconic Jumpman and visible Air cushioning. Since then, the historic design has been reiterated in several iconic looks. Now celebrating the luxury and innovation it brought to the hardwood, the Air Jordan 3 returns in premium fashion with a full black leather construction.

Available October 15 in Men’s sizing only in SNKRS.
Kids’ sizing is available October 15 on Nike.com.

We saw the Michigan version of the Air Jordan XXXI last week and now we have a glimpse at the PE version for North Carolina and this is so clean. There aren’t any details about a general release but my guess is that we will see one at some point.

In case you haven’t checked out the Jordan 31 yet, it is a great performance shoe. The upper provides a flexible feel with support around your ankles and the cushion is also top level. I don’t really love the large Jumpman logo on the side… so close to the fading swoosh but I do appreciate the effort to tie in the original Jordan 1 feel with the new school 31. I think it would have looked better if they put the Jumpman on the heel, like they normally do.

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